September 21, 2024 | by Unboxify
January 1807 marked the peak of Napoleon Bonaparte’s military prowess. The French Emperor, already celebrated for his triumphant battles at Ulm, Austerlitz, and Jena, directed his formidable Grande Armée toward another spectacular victory that would solidify his dominance over Europe. His target: the Russian army, bolstered by the remnants of the Prussian forces. Yet, despite the brilliance of his strategy, Napoleon was met by the relentless hardships of a Polish winter, which presented his soldiers with freezing mud, gnawing hunger, and an unyielding adversary.
At Pułtusk, a significant confrontation unfolded where the Russians displayed exceptional bravery that thwarted Napoleon’s initial effort to encircle their army. Nevertheless, opportunity soon sprang anew. Command of the Russian forces had transitioned to General Levin August von Bennigsen, a seasoned veteran with 34 years of service in the Imperial Russian army. Despite his German heritage, Bennigsen had dedicated his career to Russia and now stood ready to face Napoleon with a combined force of 77,000 Russians and 13,000 Prussians.
On January 27th, Bennigsen initiated a bold winter offensive that targeted Marshal Ney’s exposed Sixth Corps. Though Ney managed a narrow escape, Bernadotte’s First Corps executed a decisive rearguard action at Mohrungen. Seizing the moment, Napoleon devised a grand plan to trap the Russian forces. However, Bennigsen intuited the impending danger and promptly ordered a withdrawal. This led to five grueling days of continuous marching, pressured by Marshal Murat’s relentless pursuit.
As the retreat unfolded, French forces, including Marshal Soult’s Fourth Corps, closed in on the small East Prussian town of Eylau. On the afternoon of February 7th, French troops advanced toward Eylau, engaging with General Barclay de Tolly’s Russian division, which was fortified behind fences and barricades. As dusk descended, savage combat erupted around the town’s cemetery. The French charged with ferocity, seizing the cemetery only to face fierce Russian counterattacks. Despite heavy casualties, the French ultimately gained control. The brutality of the engagement left soldiers and officers in shock, and as night fell, temperatures plummeted further, causing many of the wounded to freeze to death where they lay.
On the morning of February 8th, from a vantage point on Eylau’s cemetery knoll, Napoleon surveyed the Russian positions through his telescope. He was met with the sight of 67,000 Russian troops arrayed in two massive lines with artillery positions defending their flanks. Napoleon’s forces—comprising Soult and Augereau’s corps, the Imperial Guard, and Murat’s cavalry reserve—totaled just 45,000 men and 137 guns. He anxiously awaited the arrival of Davout’s Third Corps, whose arrival was crucial to executing his planned flank assault.
At dawn, as French forces were still organizing, the Russians unleashed a massive artillery bombardment, turning Eylau into chaos. French artillery soon responded, creating the largest combined artillery duel the world had seen up to that point. Despite being outnumbered in artillery, the experienced French crews inflicted severe damage on the densely packed Russian lines. Meanwhile, Davout’s lead divisions arrived, positioning themselves against the Russian left flank.
Around 8 a.m., after confronting stiff resistance and formidable artillery, Davout’s first assault suffered heavy losses and was forced to retreat. Alarmed, Napoleon realized the critical nature of the moment and issued rapid orders for Marshal Augereau and General Saint-Hilaire to launch a frontal assault and keep the Russians from retreating. Despite being seriously ill and strapped to his horse, Augereau led his corps into the fray as a heavy blizzard enveloped the battlefield. This resulted in French soldiers losing direction and wandering straight into deadly artillery fire.
Augereau’s troops advanced doggedly within only a few yards of Russian cannons. Suddenly, the blizzard lifted to reveal 70 Russian artillery pieces, which unleashed deadly canister shots, decimating the French ranks. The French continued to withstand terrible losses as the Russians launched ferocious counterattacks, achieving a near collapse in the French line. Augereau himself was injured, leaving his corps in disarray and vulnerable to Russian cavalry and infantry assaults. In half an hour, the Russians inflicted severe casualties, leading to a catastrophic retreat.
Witnessing the crisis, Napoleon ordered Marshal Murat to lead a counterattack with his large cavalry reserve, despite their exhaustion and the atrocious conditions. Murat’s fearless leadership inspired his 5,000-strong cavalry brigade, which included the elite cuirassiers and dragoons. The fearsome charge managed to break through the Russian lines but incurred heavy losses, including General d’Hautpoul. Nonetheless, the cavalry’s bold assault temporarily halted the Russian advance, giving the French time to regroup.
When Murat’s retreat was threatened by Russian divisions, Napoleon deployed the Guard cavalry, including the famous Chasseurs of the Guard. They charged bravely, scattering Russian forces and creating an escape path for Murat. This desperate move revitalized the French initiative but came at a high cost in men and mounts. Nevertheless, it provided a crucial respite allowing Marshal Davout’s Third Corps to reinforce their position on the battlefield.
Throughout the torrid battle, urgency mounted on both sides. Bennigsen had urgently called upon Prussian General Anton von L’Estocq to bring reinforcements. L’Estocq’s force of 9,000 men had cleverly maneuvered past Ney’s Sixth Corps, arriving by early afternoon. Their unexpected entry invigorated the Russian defense as Davout’s weary troops faced new onslaughts. Despite being outnumbered and overwhelmed, Davout managed to hold his position.
As the sure end of the conflict loomed near, Bennigsen orchestrated a final massive assault on Davout’s remaining divisions. With remaining troops exhausted and battered, the situation looked dire for the French until Marshal Ney’s corps arrived and recaptured Schloditten, forcing Bennigsen to reallocate his troops and halt the attack. As dusk fell, the intense combat ceased, leaving the battlefield shrouded in a deathly silence.
The Battle of Eylau marked a departure from Napoleon’s string of unassailable victories. The battlefield, littered with the frozen bodies of fallen soldiers, was a stark testament to the unprecedented destruction. Though Napoleon claimed victory, the reality was a brutal stalemate with enormous casualties. Both sides suffered devastating losses: the Russians approximately 20,000 men, and the French nearly 25,000. This immense loss of life contrasted sharply with Napoleon’s previous conquests.
Despite its pyrrhic nature, the Battle of Eylau demonstrated the resilience and fighting spirit of Napoleon’s army. However, this fierce engagement foreshadowed the wear and erosion of some of Napoleon’s most seasoned and hardened veterans. They would deliver future victories, but their numbers and strength were irreplaceably diminished. This bloody contest exemplified the brutal cost of Napoleon’s ambition and foreshadowed the attritional toll of extended campaigns.
Extracted from the grim experience of Eylau, this battle remains a poignant symbol of the relentless and often merciless nature of warfare. It underscores the significance of tactical ingenuity intertwined with the indefatigable spirit of soldiers, a testament to the historical hardships faced by the Grand Armée in its pursuit of European domination.
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